T E S T I N G
14 JUNE 2018
SHOULD NEONICOTINOIDS
BE BANNED IN NEW ZEALAND?
The European Commission
New Zealand’s Environmental
Authority says it will
watch the commission’s
but the rules around the use of
neonicotinoids in New Zealand are
working to protect pollinators. Two
global experts give their views:
AgResearch scientist Mark NcNeill
(New Zealand): “The challenge
around neonicotinoids is that they
are an effective insecticide to control
seedling pests in New Zealand
such as the Argentine stem weevil,
black beetle, springtails, caterpillars
and slugs, that can have significant
impacts on the establishment of
pasture and forage crops. Protection
during the seedling stage
is critical to the production and
persistence of these pastures and
crops. The neonicotinoids are also
DO SOMETHING NOW,
SAYS WATCHDOG
The Soil & Health Association has welcomed the
Environmental Protection Authority’s announcement
to review the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in New
Zealand…but wants it to act now and ban their use
immediately. “Neonics are just as toxic in New Zealand
as they are anywhere else in the world – they’re
bee-killing compounds,” chair Graham Clarke says.
“While concentrations of use might differ, its use as
an insecticide spray is widespread and over huge
areas, and the majority of commercial seeds sold in
New Zealand are treated with neonicotinoids.” New
Zealand regulations currently prohibit the spraying
of neonicotinoids when crops are in flower. However,
neonicotinoids can persist in the soil, meaning
subsequent crops or weeds flowering can express
the toxic chemical. “Use is also limited by label
requirements, but that’s not the reality of how people
are using them,” Clarke says. “Organic producers
don’t use neonics, so we know that they’re not
absolutely necessary.” In the last decade, bees have
been dying at a staggering rate in many parts of the
world due to colony collapse disorder. Research
has shown that neonicotinoids are highly toxic to a
Protection
decision,
less toxic to humans than organophosphate
insecticides, and are
considered a more environmentally
friendly means of crop protection
compared to broad-spectrum foliar
sprays. This is because they are
highly targeted (being buried in the
soil with seed) and therefore do not
have the same risks of environmental
exposure and impact. In addition
to reduced weed invasion and
improved persistence and yield, the
neonicotinoids also allow crops and
pastures to be established by direct
drilling (where the seed is drilled
into unploughed soil), reducing
nutrient leaching and carbon emissions.
While it is early days yet,
the withdrawal of neonicotinoids
will cause some issues for farmers,
as there are no ready alternatives.
Irrespective of any future decisions,
NZ farmers need to have effective
range of insects, including bees and other pollinators
which are vital for global food production as they
pollinate three-quarters of all crops. Clarke says New
Zealand’s bee population contributes about $5 billion
to the economy annually, through agriculture, horticulture
and high value mānuka honey production.
“Neonicotinoids are also cause for concern for human
health, including via spray drift and occupational
exposure, and for the wider environment,” he says.
“New Zealand’s EPA has a history of being slow to
remove dangerous pesticides from use. The Soil &
Health Association campaigned tirelessly, along with
other organisations, for the banning of endosulfan,
a controversial pesticide that was already banned
in more than 50 countries. The EPA only banned its
use after it was discovered that a beef shipment to
South Korea contained traces of the toxic chemical,
resulting in enormous costs for exporters. What this
tells us is that the EPA are prioritising economics over
human and environmental protections. We believe
the EPA is failing in their statutory obligation to recognise
and provide for the life-supporting capacity of
air, water, soil and ecosystems.”
has voted to ban
neonicotinoid pesticides
in EU member states by
the end of this year, after
growing evidence that the
insecticides are linked
to declines in pollinator
populations, including
honeybees.
BEE PROTECTION
INDUSTRY REPONSE